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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take our kids on hol in term-time

461 replies

zozzle · 25/05/2012 09:49

We are taking our kids out of primary school to go abroad in term-time (end of June) and have been surprised at the slightly shocked/negative reactions I have had from other friends (mums in the playground). DCs are 4 (Reception) and 8 (yr 3).

My friends seem to tow the line more than me though, and admit they don't like breaking the rules. Breaking the rules has never bothered me though if I think the rules are unreasonable!

It will be the first time we will have been abroad as a family since DC were born and it's also partly to celebrate my 40th. We have holiday'd in the Uk for the last 8 years and fancied a change this year.

We can't afford to go abroad in the school holidays and the possible £100 fine we will incur from taking the kids out of school (although DC 2 is only 4 and doesn't legally have to be in school yet - so fine will prob only be applied to DC1) will still make the hol much cheaper than going in the school holidays.

Won't the hol be an educational experience in itself for the DCs? Wouldn't do it in SATs years or exam years. It is a v. middle class school with quietly pushy parents.

I just don't get what the big deal is!

OP posts:
Lovetats · 25/05/2012 09:50

School isn't optional.

Olympia2012 · 25/05/2012 09:51

Why would you break one Rule but not another (SATS)

AThingInYourLife · 25/05/2012 09:51

"Won't the hol be an educational experience in itself for the DCs?"

:o

Olympia2012 · 25/05/2012 09:52

What's a middle class school? Could you please elaborate on that? As well as explain why a full education is less important for your dc than SATS?

jollymollie · 25/05/2012 09:54

I've done it. Like you I wouldn't take them out for exams etc. It is grossly unfair that holiday companies charge so much in school hols therefore children of parents who are not wealthy enough to afford these prices have to miss out. Yes I know there are nice places in England but bad weather can ruin an English holiday. I am lucky this year as I booked just before christmas and got cheap flights and hotel for the end of August so don't need to take them out. As long as you help them catch up when they get back and they are not behind in any way before you go then I think it's reasonable. Holidays give my children fantastic memories and real quality time as a family which is essential. They remember every holiday they have been on in detail which are memories that will live with them into adult hood. Memories of a rainy caravan in Skegness are not quite the same!

Original poster
zozzle · 25/05/2012 09:55

If we could afford to go in school hols I would!

OP posts:
AdventuresWithVoles · 25/05/2012 09:56

The Big deal is that you value a cheap foreign holiday (for whatever special occasions) over your DC's education. And you obviously have £100 to spare.

I am not as unsympathetic as I sound; my family live 5000 miles away & it's impractical to go for just 2 weeks or only in summer. But I don't pretend the visit has educational value. I wouldn't go abroad in term time merely because it was cheaper or for my birthday.

fuckarama · 25/05/2012 09:57

So school is optional if you're middle class then?

tiggytape · 25/05/2012 09:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Threeprinces · 25/05/2012 09:59

YABU - as someone said earlier, school isn't optional.

LtEveDallas · 25/05/2012 09:59

School is optional for the under 5.

Have you asked permission from the school? We took DD out 4 days before the end of term last year, but that was because I was unable to take any leave during the summer hols, so that extra 4 days allowed us to go on holiday - without it we couldn't have gone.

We wrote to the HM and asked permission. He said yes and DD was marked down as Authorised Absence for those days.

If your HM is OK with it, then it doesn't matter what the other school mums think.

Original poster
zozzle · 25/05/2012 09:59

jollymollie - totally agree. Olympia - most parents are professionals - so am wondering if statistically said parents are more likely to disapprove of taking kids out of school than if school had a wider demographic.

OP posts:
DiscoDaisy · 25/05/2012 09:59

Because our eldest is yr11 this year we went camping back in august so she wouldn't miss any school. The weather was awful! It was more like winter and we couldn't do anything or go anywhere. It didn't feel as though we had had a holiday.
Because of this we are taking all our children out of school in october for a week to go to Spain. This will be the last time we can do this as our DD2 will be starting her GCSE's sept 2013.
Back to camping in august with the awful weather then!

redskyatnight · 25/05/2012 09:59

How long is the holiday for? If for 2 weeks, you will be missing a very large proportion of the work for the 2nd half of the summer term. Also (assuming England/Wales) you are planning to go plonk in the middle of the half term i.e. the time when it will disrupt them most.

A few people at the DC's schools take 5 days in term time, but they would normally tag it on to the end of a school holiday.

Original poster
zozzle · 25/05/2012 10:01

Totally, totally, totally disagree that holidays have no educational value!!! What about learning about the culture of the country!!

OP posts:
Original poster
zozzle · 25/05/2012 10:02

It's one week.

OP posts:
fuckarama · 25/05/2012 10:04

So your kids' school doesn't have half term then?

Original poster
zozzle · 25/05/2012 10:05

F - Yes but cost would be substantially more

OP posts:
fuckarama · 25/05/2012 10:06

Tough.

School, in year 3, isn't an option.

Unless you have decided to home ed.

Why would you want to send that message to your child?

Good luck with motivating them to go to school when they're 15.

Olympia2012 · 25/05/2012 10:06

June is the BEGINNING of the new school year here..... Don't assume those last few weeks are 'dead' weeks where it's just watching dvd's and playing games! More and more areas are starting new school years before the summer hols ..... Gets the new timetable/new teachers/lockers etc out of the way so they are straight into work with no faffing once sept arrives...

elizaregina · 25/05/2012 10:07

OP

BIG MISTAKE to post on here!!!

There was a RAGING attack on a poor lady who was asking a few weeks ago if she should take her DD off school for ONE DAY, to visit her mum who had been ill, she was " vicously" attacked, told it was a " lame reason" etc etc......

I wouldnt come on here to salve your consciounce or get a balanced view!!!!

I shall most certainly be taking my child out to go away.

go and have a wonderful family holiday while you can!!! dont listen to what anyone else says, give them wonderful memories.

i find its staggeringly ridiculous to thrust on people who obvioulsy are responsible the idea they are going to damage thier childs whole future by taking them out of school.

why dont you save your vitriol for those who let thier brats run wild and truant and act like they cant do anything about it!

fuckarama · 25/05/2012 10:07

If you can't afford to go in the school hols, either Christmas, Easter, Summer or the half terms, then you don't go.

In my opinion.

whitby80 · 25/05/2012 10:08

Our school flatly refuses any holidays in term time. So I tow the party line and do not abuse this. (Even though dh thinks I am mad). Yet one of the Parent Governor's seems to do it every year.

fuckarama · 25/05/2012 10:08

Where are you going that you're going to be learning about the culture of the country?

How much of that do you think a 4 year old is going to take in?

That's a lame excuse.

Original poster
zozzle · 25/05/2012 10:09

It all seems totally over the top to me!

OP posts: